


In the end, all we have is Eden

by TheLostSkyGirl



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: Ambiguous/Open Ending, Character Death, Florist!Junmyeon, M/M, Married!KrisHan, Past!HunHan, Sad, i think
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-22
Updated: 2019-05-22
Packaged: 2020-03-09 16:38:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,361
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18920926
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheLostSkyGirl/pseuds/TheLostSkyGirl
Summary: Junmyeon is tired. Sehun is grieving. They find each other.





	In the end, all we have is Eden

**Author's Note:**

> Prompt #99
> 
> This took me a really long time to write and I hope it lives up to the prompter's expectation.  
> Unbeta-ed so mistakes are possible.

Junmyeon sighs as he listens to the clanking of his decade old AC. The thing was about to break down again, Junmyeon could tell. Everything in his little shop was close to breaking down after all. Junmyeon mentally calculates if he had enough money to spare to have the old thing fixed.

 

Hint: he doesn’t.

 

Business wasn’t doing well the past weeks. It was summer after all. What kind of idiot would buy flowers that would wilt in less than 48 hours?

 

In conclusion: he was broke.

 

Junmyeon sighs once more. He loved his business, he really did. It was passed on to him by his late grandmother, an overly kind lady who had a penchant for soulmates and daydreaming and whom Junmyeon adored to great lengths. His grandmother was the only person who accepted Junmyeon for who he was and welcomed him with open arms when everything in his life fell apart. So it was without hesitation that Junmyeon accepted his grandmother’s wish for him to take care of the shop she holds dear.

 

That was three years ago.

 

Now, Junmyeon can barely manage to keep the business (and his life) afloat. If he didn’t love the place so much, he would’ve abandoned it already. But alas, he was also a sentimental fool who vowed to keep his grandmother’s legacy going despite his current circumstances.

 

The chiming of the bell wakes Junmyeon from his reverie. His eyes snapped towards to front door of the shop and was met by a distraught-looking Chanyeol. Dread filled Junmyeon’s being.

 

“Chan? What happened?” he inquires. He somehow knew the answer would be bad, but still, he has to know.

 

Chanyeol takes his time answering. Junmyeon can see the distress in the other’s face.

 

“Chanyeol. Answer me please.”

 

The look Chanyeol gave him, it was enough to scare Junmyeon. But his next words broke Junmyeon’s heart.

 

“It’s Luhan. He’s… gone.”

 

***

 

Sehun glances at the wall clock his oh-so-reliable assistant had installed above his door, directly on his line of sight. The hands showed 11:30 PM and he sighed internally. His assistant argued that putting the clock right where he can easily see it will make him time conscious but it hasn’t really been doing it’s job. Sehun still ends up doing overtime work and going home at wee hours in the morning.

 

As if sensing his demise, his personal phone rings, flashing his assistant’s contact name. He picks up on the third ring.

 

“Jo--”

 

“You better be in your car on your way home right now,” his assistant interrupted before he could even get a word out.

 

“Hello to you too, Jongdae,” he sighs out.

 

“Don’t sass me. I’m the sassy one in this relationship.”

 

Sehun laughs despite himself. Jongdae always had that effect on him. He’s never been more happy that he decided to hire the fearless and loud-mouthed intern years ago.

 

“Get your ass off the chair now and go home,” his assistant raved once more.

 

“How do you even know I’m still on my chair?”

 

“I’ve worked for you long enough to have you memorized Oh Sehun. Now stop stalling and do as I say.”

 

“Last time I checked I was the boss here.”

 

Even when he can’t see him, Sehun knew Jongdae was rolling his eyes at him.

 

“And you’ll be a dead boss by now if it weren’t for me. So do yourself a favor and get a move on already before I call security to escort you out.”

 

“I pay him, he won’t listen to you.”

 

“And I’m the reason he’s got a lovely wife right now, so really, who’s winning here?”

 

Sehun sighs, knowing he lost to his assistant. Again.

 

“C’mon now boss. Those papers can wait one night but your body can’t. Go home and get some rest.” Jongdae’s voice was softer this time, appeasing.

 

And Sehun just gives up. He knows Jongdae’s threat wasn’t a threat, but a promise. Besides, he was indeed tired.

 

“Alright. I’m up. No need to send the cavalry on me,” he says as he gets up and gathers his things.

 

“Good. I’ll call security in 5 minutes to make sure you actually left the building.”

 

“Fine. Worry-wart.

 

“With good reason. Now go home. Drive safely, you still haven’t paid me.”

 

Jongdae dropped the call after that. Sehun could only laugh at his assistant’s attitude. After years of working together, he’s gotten used to it after all.

 

He was on his way down when his cellphone pings, alerting a new message. He smiles to himself thinking it was his assistant again, leaving his last words.

 

But it wasn’t.

 

And the words on his phone’s screen not only wiped the smile off his face but made his world come crashing down.

 

***

 

Junmyeon felt terrible. All he wanted to do was go home, lie in his bed and sleep. But alas, the flowers won’t sell themselves.

 

The past two days were hard, the news of Luhan’s death causing an expected gloom over their town. They were a tight-knit community. Everybody knew each other, almost as well as they know their own family. They were a family, in a sense. Which is why deaths always took a toll on everyone, especially deaths of someone as young as Luhan.

 

Luhan was, by far, one of the friendliest person Junmyeon knows. He was polite to the elderly, greeted everyone he bumps into along the way and loves to play with the children on his free times. But he was also sick. It wasn’t something he liked to talk about, but everyone knew of his condition, was there to support him and his husband when the cancer finally took over his body.

 

Somehow, they knew it was bound to happen but it doesn’t make the situation any less painful. And Kris, poor Kris, hasn’t been talking since the day Luhan succumbed to his illness. He just sat quietly as their friends and family arranged the wake and the funeral. And no one can blame him. He lost the love of his life, after all.

 

Junmyeon heaves another sigh, wishing the day to end already. He would’ve been with Chanyeol at the wake but he just got a fresh ton of delivery he needed to sort out. His business was already going downhill, he can’t really afford wasting anymore of his merchandise. As much as he hates to admit it, this is the only times he gets a lot of orders. It’s just disheartening to be making them for his friend.

 

The ringing of the bell startled Junmyeon making him stand up straight from where he was lazily perched on his counter. He gets ready to greet the customer but his voice gets caught in his throat at the man that met his view.

 

The stranger-- he was sure the guy was not from around there-- was tall. Not as tall as Chanyeol or Kris but definitely tall enough to catch attention. He was in a crisp, tailored suit, black hair combed neatly. His chiseled face, perfectly sculpted nose and sharp eyes was a sight for sore eyes.

 

The stranger looked like he came straight out of a daydream.

 

A clearing of a throat jolts Junmyeon. He can feel his face burning as he realized he was staring. He quickly composed himself and flashed his best customer-friendly smile.

 

“Good day! How may I help you?”

 

The stranger looked surprised but the expression was immediately wiped off his face, replaced by a stoic, emotionless visage.

 

“I want to order an arrangement,” the stranger states and for some reason, his voice sends a shiver down Junmyeon’s spine.

 

Junmyeon maintained his professional smile though. “And what would the occasion be?” he asks politely.

 

“A funeral.”

 

The answer caught Junmyeon off guard. There was only one funeral happening in their town and the thought grips Junmyeon’s heart.

 

He gathers his bearings and tries to act normal.

 

“I don’t mean to be rude, but are you perhaps sending it to Luhan’s funeral?” he asks slowly, careful not to offend the man.

 

The strangers eyes widen a fraction.

 

“You know Luhan?”

 

Junmyeon notices the shift in the stranger’s mood. His expression was no longer stoic, but solemn, like a dark cloud had passed his being.

 

“Uh… yeah. He was… he was a friend of mine.”

 

“Oh.”

 

Silence hang between them then. Both were weighing what’s the best next move in this situation.

 

Junmyeon felt awkward, having met someone who knew Luhan outside of their town. Sehun, on the other hand, felt conflicted, not expecting to meet anyone who could link him to Luhan. He should’ve known that in a town as small as this, everyone is bound to know each other.

 

He hears the florist clear hi throat, so he tries to focus back on him rather than on his jumbled thoughts.

 

“Do you have any particular requests?”

 

“What?” he asks dumbly.

 

The florists smiles at him. It was a pretty smile, Sehun notes.

 

“For the arrangement, do you have any requests?”

 

“Uh… not much. Just… do you have hyacinths? Purple ones preferably.”

 

Junmyeon smiles once again. “I do actually. They just arrived this morning. Do you want to wait for them or come back later?”

 

The stranger shrugs. “I can wait.”

 

“Alright then, please wait a while. You can have a seat there if you’d like,” he points to the chair just across the counter.

 

The man nods and walks towards the chair. Junmyeon spares him one last glance before heading to the back where his flowers were stored. Junmyeon then starts bringing the flowers out and begins arranging them. The stranger watched him quietly as he goes along.

 

It unnerved Junmyeon, having a pair of eyes on him and watching his every move. He tried to keep his composure though. He was, after all, a professional.

 

He was halfway done with his arrangement when a thought crosses his mind. He debated whether to voice it out or keep it to himself. The growing silence between him and his customer made the decision for him.

 

“Did you know,” he starts, voice low so he wouldn’t startle the other guy, “in the language of flowers, purple hyacinths mean remorse or an apology.”

 

The stranger doesn’t respond and when Junmyeon glances at him, he had an odd look on his face. Junmyeon coughed awkwardly. So maybe, small talk was a bad idea.

 

He was ready to just forget about his stupidity but then he hears the stranger mutter quietly.

 

“I know. I hope it reaches him.”

 

Junmyeon was not a nosy person but the stranger’s words intrigued him. Obviously he had some sort of connection with Luhan, that much he can gather. But what? In all the years he has known Luhan, the guy had never mentioned a friend from outside their town. Then again, Luhan was not originally from around there so Junmyeon knew he had a life from before he married Kris.

 

But his relationship with this stranger, Junmyeon wanted to know.

 

“Is it done?” the question brought Junmyeon back from his musings.He didn’t notice his hand had stopped mid air.

 

He smiled timidly. “Almost.”

 

The tall man just nodded and went back to staring at nothing, his face back to it’s blank state. Junmyeon returned to what he was doing, suddenly feeling extra motivated to make the flower arrangement look beautiful.

 

Junmyeon knew he should be feeling guilty over his train of thought, considering this was a job involving his deceased friend. Yet he can’t find the emotion in his self. Rather, he feels giddy, and overwhelming need to make the stranger break the cold facade he had on. And he doesn’t even know his name!

 

Junmyeon finishes his arrangement just as the man stands up and approaches the counter.

 

“All done. Did you want to add a card?”

 

The man doesn’t respond for a while, contemplating whether or not to put his name on it. Did Luhan’s husband know who he was? Would it make a difference? But in the end, he decides it wasn’t worth the possible drama, so he declines. The florist nods in understanding and pushes the flowers his way.

 

“Can I get your name please? For the receipt.”

 

“Oh Sehun,” he responds absentmindedly, still staring at the flowers in front of him. Had he been paying attention, he would have noticed the blush that colored Junmyeon’s face.

 

Junmyeon rings up the purchase and hands over the receipt to Sehun who takes it without even glancing at Junmyeon. He pockets the piece of paper and picks up the flower basket and turns without another word. Before Junmyeon could say his goodbyes, the other was already out the door.

 

“Nice to meet you Oh Sehun.”

 

***

 

Sehun sits inside his car and stares at the glass doors of the funeral home across from where he’s parked. He’s been doing that for almost 20 minutes now and still hasn’t made a move to get out, the flowers sitting sadly at his backseat. He turned his AC to a higher temperature than he was used to, afraid that the humidity inside the car might wilt the flowers.

 

Yet he still hasn’t moved an inch.

 

He watched as people walk in and out of the building, wondering if those people were there for Luhan, and asking himself if he’ll ever have the courage to step out of his car, cross the street and enter the doors to pay his respects.

 

No. The answer is no.

 

A heavy feeling sits deep inside his chest, almost suffocating him. He felt like crying but he forces himself not to. He didn’t have the right. And so, he continues to sit there and mope as his eyes burn with unshed tears.

 

A movement across the road catches his eye and his vision is greeted by the sight of the florists from earlier walking slowly towards the funeral building. Sehun watches him as he takes is time, seemingly weighing each step he takes. Once he reached the steps to the building, he stops and looks up. Sehun sees him taking a few deep breaths but not taking a step further. He wonders if the florist was contemplating going in as well.

 

A sudden thought crosses Sehun’s mind. He deliberates on it as he continues to watch the florist make a decision on his own. When, finally, the guy takes the first step up the stairs, Sehun opens his door hastily and shouts.

 

“HEY!”

 

His loud voice catches the small guy’s attention and he immediately turns to look at Sehun. Sehun wanted to run across the guy but he doesn’t want to risk being seen by anyone who might know him so he waves frantically and motions for the guy to go over where he was.

 

To say Junmeon was confused would be an understatement. There he was, psyching himself up before going to inside and seeing Luhan in a casket once again, and now he has the tall customer, Sehun, waving at him and… asking for him?

 

He doesn’t move an inch and just stares. Sehun must’ve gotten impatient because he starts to stomp his feet. Junmyeon decides to indulge the tall male and crosses the street to where he was. He sees Sehun’s face light up as he approaches.

 

“Thank god you understood,” was the first thing Sehun says to him when he reaches the latter.

 

“Uh. I wasn’t really sure but you looked like you were about to throw a fit so…” he trails off and waits for Sehun to say something.

 

“Get in the car,” Sehun tells him.

 

“Sorry?”

 

Junmyeon is even more confused now. The guy he met just a few hours ago, who also happened to be his customer, asked him to get inside his car without any explanation. That screams sketchy as fuck if you ask him.

 

He takes a step back, bracing himself just in case he needs to run. He had about 40 percent chance to escape, 50 maybe, if he heads straight to the funeral home.

 

Sehun noticed Junmyeon backing up and he rolls his eyes and gave the latter an offended look.

 

“I’m not gonna do anything to you. I just want to talk.”

 

Junmyeon is not convinced though.

 

“Then talk. It doesn’t have to be inside your car now, does it?”

 

Sehun turns his back and takes a few deep breaths. When he turns back, the look on his face immediately makes Junmyeon melt. He looked so vulnerable and before he knows it, he was nodding and opening the passenger door. The cold temperature greets him and the flower basket at the basket doesn’t escape his sight.

 

Sehun follows him a few moments later and they sit quietly in the cold for a while, awkward tension palpable. Junmyeon wasn’t really fond of silence but it’s not like he knew what to say in this situation. Heck! He doesn’t even know what situation he’s in.

 

“So…” Sehun starts but his voice was soft, Junmyeon barely heard him.

 

“Look, I don’t want to pressure you into talking since you clearly look uncomfortable but I have somewhere to be and---”

 

“What’s your name?” Sehun cuts him off before he could finish.

 

“Huh?”

 

“What’s your name? I realized I don’t know it yet.”

 

Junmyeon couldn’t stop his face from heating up at the question. He didn’t really expect to see this stranger again today, much more said stranger asking for his name. He turns away to hide his face.

 

“J-junmyeon,” he stutters, “my name’s Junmyeon.”

 

 He hears Sehun hum in reponse.

 

Another tense silence. Junmyeon waits for the heat in his face to mellow down before facing Sehun once more.

 

“So… you wanted to say something?” he asks despite his nervousness.

 

“I… yeah,” Sehun’s face showed how hesitant he was so Junmyeon remained quiet. “I wanted to ask a favor.”

Junmyeon frowns. They didn’t know each other enough for the taller male to ask favors from him. And he says exactly that. Sehun shakes his head.

 

“I know. I know. But I don’t really “know” anyone here aside from you.”

 

Junmyeon really shouldn’t be considering this. He really shouldn’t.

 

“Tell me what this favor you’re asking first before I decide.”

 

Sehun smiles then. It was small, barely a movement of his lips, yet Junmyeon found himself mesmerized.

 

“Thank you, really! It’s nothing major, I promise. I just need you to deliver the flowers to the funeral home for me.” He said it so casually but Junmyeon heard the hesitance in his voice. His curiosity is eating him up and he doesn’t know how long until he starts firing personal questions.

 

“You know…” he starts slowly, “if it’s deliver, you could’ve just told me earlier. We do offer those kind of services in my shop.”

 

Sehun sighs. “I kinda figured that one out late. Look, can you just do this for me. I’ll pay you extra.”

 

Junmyeon is torn. He thinks about the extra income he would get but he also thinks about the reason behind the sudden request. He wanted to ask, oh he really did. That wouldn’t be appropriate though.

 

Unfortunately, Junmyeon’s brain and mouth filter decided to fly out the window.

 

“Why don’t you do it yourself?” he asks before he could stop himself.

 

Sehun’s gaze turns sharp and Junmyeon felt a chill run up his spine.

 

“That’s none of your business,” the cold tone matched his cold expression.

 

Junmyeon shut up then, knowing he had already crossed the line. He clears his throat to dispel the heavy feeling he started to feel.

 

“W-well, okay then. I… I should head out then,” he scrambles to open the car but before he could get out, a hand grabs his wrist and pulls him back in. He traces the arm up and comes face to face with an annoyed looking Sehun.

 

“I’m not done yet.”

 

Junmyeon swallows loudly, unable to hide his nervousness. He feels Sehun letting go of his wrist and a part of him felt a bit disappointed. He was quick to erase that thoughts though. Now, was not the right place and time for weird feelings.

 

Sehun fishes out his wallet and picks out a couple of bills and hands them to Junmyeon. He takes them with shaky hands.

 

“If anyone asks who they’re from, tell them it’s from an old friend. If they ask who, tell them you don’t know,” Sehun instructs. Junmyeon could only nod, scared that he might say the wrong thing again.

 

Junmyeon get out of the car successfull this time, letting go of the breath he didn’t know he was holding in and grabs the flowers from the back seat. If he had a choice, he’d hightail out of there but he was a polite business man.

 

“I’ll go now, Mr. Oh. It was… uh… it was a pleasure doing business with you, I guess?”

 

Sehun merely nods and Junmyeon takes that as his cue to leave. He sprints across th e road while holding the basket tightly. He didn’t dare look back but he knew Sehun was looking at him from his car. Junmyeon could practically feel his eye burn his back.

 

Relief washes over him once he opens the door of the funeral home and gets inside. He stops to catch his breath and checks the basket, making sure he didn’t cause damage to the flowers. When he was positive that the flowers were okay, he stars walking to the room where Luhan laid.

 

The heavy feeling was back in Junmyeon’s chest, this time caused by the fact that he would be seeing his friend lifeless once again.

 

Chanyeol is by the door when he reaches the roon. He smiles at Junmyeon tightly, eyeing the basket he was holding.

 

“That yours?”

 

Junmyeon shakes his head. “Someone asked this to be delivered here,” he answered simply. He hoped Chanyeol wouldn’t ask anymore questions but of course, his friend was nosy as him.

 

“Really? Who?”

 

He resists the urge to groan. He wasn’t really in the mood to answer questions he himself have no concrete answer. He had to remind himself that his friend knew nothing about the situation.

 

“They’d like to keep their identities confidential,” he answers instead.

 

Junmyeon enters the almost empty room with Chanyeol trailing behind. He immediately spots Kris’ tall frame on one of the chairs, slouched and asleep. He would go and wake the guy but a 5 year old girl beat him to it.

 

It doesn’t take a lot of shaking for Kris to wake up and the first thing he does is reach for his daughter and trap her in his arms. The loud giggles make Junmyeon happy and sad at the same time. His eyes stray towards the casket in the middle of the room, the casket he’s yet to approach. Junmyeon swallows the lump in his throat and tips his head back to stop himself from crying. He feel a hand on his back, rubbing it slowly.

 

“Hey,” Chanyeol whispers, “you wanna go back out?”

 

Junmyeon breathes deeply and shakes his head. He can’t keep doing this everytime he goes here especially not when Kris and Luhan’s daughter is around. He turns his eyes back on the two and waves when he sees Kris already looking at them. The latter smiles but doesn’t go to meet them-- well more like he couldn’t, since his daughter was sat on his lap and demanding his attention. Junmyeon nods in understanding. They’ve been friends long enough for this kind of communication to be understandable.

 

Junmyeon approaches the middle of the room and places the basket gently at the side table. He looks at the casket but doesn’t approach it.

 

Tomorrow. Tomorrow he’ll say goodbye properly.

 

He doesn’t stay long. Once he started feeling uncomfortable, he bids Kris and Chanyeol goodbye and hurriedly leaves the room. He takes a breath of fresh air when steps outside, grateful for the light breeze.

 

He was ready to head home when a car across the road catches his eye. Sehun was still parked there. Junmyeon debated whether or not he should check on the guy. It’s not like he had any other business with him, yet he can’t help his curiosity from sparking.

 

He lets his irrational self take over once again, and crosses to where Sehun was. The windows were up but he could make out the other’s figure from outside. He timidly knocks on the window, half expecting for Sehun to ignore him. The window rolls down however, much to his surprise.

 

Sehun was looking straight ahead, blank expression on his face.

 

“Uh… h-hey. You… you’re still here.”

 

The tall male remains quiet making Junmyeon fidget in his place. He was about to turn back and leave but Sehun’s voice stops him.

 

“I couldn’t do it,” was said almost in a whisper.

 

“Do what?”

 

“Leave. I couldn’t bring myself to leave.”

 

The tremor in his voice betrays the cold mask he had on. Junmyeon had a feeling he will break down any moment now and for some reason, Junmyeon didn’t want that to happen here, in front of the place where someone obviously special to him lies. So he (again) does a rational (irrational) thing.

 

“Wanna get out of here?”

 

 

*** 

 

After a lot of convincing and some whining, Junmyeon managed to coax Sehun to drive away from the funeral home and head towards the edge of town.

 

“I still don’t know how you managed to make me come with you. You could be planning my death right now,” Sehun grumbles as he drives. He’s been saying that for the past 20 minutes yet still continued to drive.

 

Junmyeon scoffs at him. “Please, you’re like a giant compared to me. I’m pretty sure you could take me. Besides, I’ve already told you a couple of time: I’m not going to murder you.”

 

Sehun scoffs back. “You could be just saying that. I don’t know you so you could be hiding an inner strength or something.”

 

“Yet you’re still driving.”

 

The tall male shrugs. “I’m an idiot, that’s why.”

 

Junmyeon laughs at him then. They were both idiots apparently.

 

Junmyeon directs him to stop just behind their town’s welcome sign. There are no other cars around and no person in sight. There was really nothing there but trees and the road. Aside from the usual car passing by, no one really goes there to hang out.

 

Except Junmyeon. This is one of his favorite places in their town. He loves the peace and quiet he gets from this place and he’s like to share that with Sehun. The latter looks like he needs it.

 

“So? What are we doing here?” Sehun asks him as soon as he parks the car. Junmyeon rolls the window down immediately, relishing on the light breeze.

 

“Hmmm… nothing, really. You just looked like you needed space back there so I thought some peace will do you good.” Sehun doesn’t respond prompting Junmyeon to continue. “You don’t have to tell me anything about you and Luhan but if you want to think, sitting out there in front of the funeral home will not help.”

 

The silence continues but it wasn’t awkward to uncomfortable for Junmyeon. He lets the taller male mull over his thoughts. He sat there patiently, enjoying the wind on his face.

 

“He was my greatest regret,” Sehun says after a while.

 

Junmyeon turns to face him. Sehun’s words confused him but he let the other continue.

 

“He wasn’t my first love per se, but he was my greatest regret,” he pauses to take a breath, “I met him while I was just struggling to get where I am now. He became my pillar then, a constant reminder that I have to work hard. He was my support. But I took him for granted. The higher I climbed up the ladder, the more I forgot about him. I got used to the idea that he will always just be there that I failed to see I was neglecting and hurting him. Until he just… got fed up. He left me and I didn’t even stop him. He left me, and I just let him go.”

 

Junmyeon remained quiet, digesting the information given to him. Sehun was Luhan’s ex and they shared such deep history together. Honestly, Junmyeon didn’t know what to say. It was not something he had expected.

 

“So…” he starts softly, “you haven’t talked to each other in years?”

 

“No. But I tried to check up on him once in a while. Up until the time he got married. After I heard, I just… stopped looking for him. He found his happiness and that’s all that mattered. I haven’t checked on him for a long time so the news of his death was a big blow. I--,” his voice starts to crack, and Junmyeon can see how he tries to hold in his tears, “I didn’t even get to apologize to him. For all the pain I caused him. I didn’t get to say sorry. I missed my chance,” and he just breaks.

 

Junmyeon could do nothing but watch as the previously confident man, broke down in front of him, tears continuously flowing from his eyes. It’s no wonder Sehun had a hard time leaving the building back then, nor the conflict in his eyes as he requests Junmyeon to deliver the flowers.

 

The guy was drowning in guilt and remorse. And Junmyeon didn’t know how he could help him so he just lets him cry. For all the years he hadn’t cried, for all the words he never got to say, and for all the regret he kept in his heart. Junmyeon let him cry.

 

It takes a while for Sehun to calm down. When he does, he shoots Junmyeon an apologetic smile.

 

“I’m sorry. I’m such a mess,” he sniffs and wipes his face. Junmyeon returns the smile. He lets Sehun breathe some more. Just then, a sudden thought occurs to him.

 

“You know,” he begins, making Sehun turn to him,  “my shop was originally my mother’s. My parents, my father especially, were romantics. Everyday, without fail, my father would bring home a flower and give it to my mother. I grew up watching the them fall in love each day. My father started tending to a garden so he could grow flowers for my mom. It made her very happy. Then, he invested on the shop so she could share the beauty of the flowers she loved so much. For years, I watched the two of them treat flowers with utmost care. They thought me everything I know and they made me fall in love with the flowers the same way they did.”

 

Junmyeon breaths deeply. Here comes the hard part.

 

“But like any other kid in a small town, like any kid really, I had a rebellious phase so to speak. I grew restless in this place. The town wasn’t enough for me anymore so I started to dream big, to dream of getting out. And I did. For almost three years, I escaped this place that I was starting to think of as a prison. My mother was heartbroken, of course, but she didn’t try to stop me. She let me go and be my own person. She didn’t demand for me to stay even when my father died and she was left here alone. She never asked for me to go back home.”

 

Junmyeon pauses to glance at Sehun who was looking at him intently. He smiles a little at the attentiveness.

 

“Up until about a year ago. She fell ill and no one will take care of her so she asked me, for the first time since I left if I could come back. I didn’t want to at first but she was my  mother. I couldn’t possibly leave her to fend for herself. So I left the job I liked, packed my bags and went home. The fact of going back to the place I wanted to escape so much left a bitter feeling in me though. I was here physically, but my mind was elsewhere. And my mother felt that, much as I try and hide it from her. But there was nothing we could do. She had no one but me.”

 

“And the shop?” Sehun asks all of the sudden, startling Junmyeon.

 

“She wasn’t fit enough to work so the shop was in a bad place when I got back. It was thriving but it won’t be for long if left alone. I had no choice but to take over. I had half a mind to just sell the place and take my mother with me to the city but she was adamant on staying. No forms of persuasion could change her mind. She left me no choice but to stay. I still had the knowledge my father left me, coupled with the degree I got in business, I was able to save the shop, with reluctance. It’s not doing as well as it used to, but it’s still there, that’ what matters is what I thought. And that seemed enough for my mother as well.”

 

“So you stayed. How about your mother? Is she…?” Junmyeon smiles once again at the hesitance in Sehun’s voice.

 

“She died 6 months ago.”

 

Sehun’s face turns somber. “I’m sorry.”

 

“It’s fine. I’m fine.”

 

“Why… why don’t you leave then? You have no one stopping you now.”

 

Junmyeon leans back on his seat and sighs. “I’ve thought about it hundreds of times but I couldn’t bring myself to do it. A couple of months after I came back, I got fed up with my situation. I got tired. Of the town, of the shop, of taking care of my mother. So I ran away. Me, an adult with a degree, ran away. It was here, at this exact same place where I stopped. I just sat in my car, staring at the road ahead, thinking how easy it would be to just… step on the gas and disappear.”

 

“What stopped you?”

 

Junmyeon chuckles lowly. “This will sound really weird and you might not believe me but just when I was about to move, I look to my side and there, sitting just along the road, was a lone white rose. To anyone it would be nothing, but to me it was everything. It was my father’s favorite flower, after all,” he feels his eyes tearing up and he doesn’t do anything to stop him. Sehun did have a breakdown in front of him. Its only fair for him to do the same.

 

“It felt like he was telling me that it was okay. That everything will be okay. That I can leave if I want. That he won’t be mad if I left my sick mother behind. And I just couldn’t do it. You know how they say your life flash before your eyes before you die? It happened like that, except for the dying part. I was suddenly reminded of all the times my father would teach every thing there is to know about flowers and how to grow them. Of how much he loved me and my mother, of how much my mother loved the both of us. And I just… I couldn’t do it. So I turned the car around, hugged my mom and begged for her forgiveness. She just told me there was nothing to forgive because I did nothing wrong. And I stayed, took care of her and the shop until she finally got her rest.”

 

“And now?”

 

“Now I still get those thoughts. Especially on times like these where the shop seems to be in a brink of bankruptcy. But every time those thoughts cross my mind, something happens that make me think otherwise.”

 

Junmyeon turns and looks at Sehun, traces his features, takes note of his red, puffy eyes and studies him. With a sudden surge of confidence, he admits the thing he’s been feeling for a while now.

 

“Would you believe me if I told you that you’re the reason why I’m not considering running away now?”

 

Sehun looked taken aback by his confession. He’s cheeks redden and he stares at Junmyeon wide-eyed.

 

“Wha-- what are you saying? W-we don’t even know each other. How can I affect your decision like that?”

 

Junmyeon laughs at his bewildered expression. “Hearing your story earlier made me remember how lucky I was. I still got the chance to turn back and apologize for my mistakes and spend time with my mother until her last moment. My shop isn’t in its best condition but it’s still standing and getting by. My life is mediocre but it’s enough as it is right now.”

 

He doesn’t know where his courage is coming from but Junmyeon finds himself holding Sehun’s hand and giving it a tight squeeze.

 

“But Sehun,” the tall male’s eyes widen further at the sound of his name, “it’s not too late for you either. Luhan may not be around anymore but that doesn’t mean you can’t ask for his forgiveness. He might not be able to hear you but you can tell him all the things you wanted to say but never got the chance to. You just need to be brave enough. You’ve ran away for too long, it’s time to face the fears that’s eating you up inside.”

 

Sehun doesn’t say a word. He also doesn’t remove his hand from Junmyeon’s hold. They sit there in silence for awhile as Sehun takes Junmyeon’s words into account.

 

“I don’t think I can do it alone.”

 

“Then I’ll be go with you. You don’t have to talk to Kris. I can explain to him. You just have to go and see Lu. You need this closure Sehun. You both do.”

 

 

 

 

Thirty minutes later Junmyeon finds himself in front of Luhan’s casket, a bawling Sehun beside him. He lets the taller pour his heart out to his dead ex-lover. Junmyeon knew it won’t be easy for Sehun after this. But as he stands there, Sehun’s hand wrapped tightly around his, Junmyeon knew he will be there to make sure he was okay.

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> Welp! I hope that was satisfying enough. *cries* Please do let me know what you think. And thank you to my friends Xia and Summer for reading the first part and convincing me I was still doing okay. :))


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